Some of the Pharaoh's nobles considered him to be no more than a skillful magician 109 "He wishes to drive you away from the land. So what do you advise?" 110 They said, "Postpone [the matter of] him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers 111 to bring together at the Pharaohs court all the skillful magicians. 112 And the magicians came to Pharaoh. They said, "Indeed for us is a reward if we are the predominant." 113 He said: "Yea, (and more),- for ye shall in that case be (raised to posts) nearest (to my person)." 114 They said: O Musa! will you cast, or shall we be the first to cast? 115 He said: Throw! And when they threw they cast a spell upon the people's eyes, and overawed them, and produced a mighty spell. 116 Then We directed Moses: 'Now you throw your rod.' And lo! it swallowed up all their false devices. 117 ۞ whereupon the truth was established, and vain was proved all that they had been doing. 118 And Pharaoh and his people were overcome right there and became debased. 119 And the sorcerers prostrated themselves 120 saying, "We declare our belief in the Lord of the Universe, 121 the Lord of Moses and Aaron.' 122 Fir'awn said: believed ye in him ere I have given you leave? Verily this is a plot ye have plotted in the city that ye may drive forth the people thereof. So presently ye shall know. 123 "Surely, I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, then I will crucify you all." 124 They replied: 'We shall surely turn to our Lord. 125 for thou takest vengeance on us only because we have come to believe in our Sustainer's messages as soon as they came to us. O our Sustainer! Shower us with patience in adversity, and make us die as men who have surrendered themselves unto Thee!" 126